The event was a single-elimination tournament with a bronze medal match between the semifinal losers.

The final and bronze medal match were best two-of-three, while all other rounds were a single bout.

Bouts were 15 minutes, unless one wrestler lost by fall (two shoulders on the ground at the same time).

Wrestlers could "take hold how and where they please[d]" except that "hair, flesh, ears, private parts, or clothes may not be seized"; striking, scratching, twisting fingers, butting, and kicking were prohibited.

Holds "obtained that the fear of breakage or dislocation of a limb shall induce a wrestler to give the fall" were outlawed, and particularly the double-nelson, hammerlock, strangle, half-strangle, scissors, hang, flying mare with palm uppermost, and the foot twist.